Chance me for Ivies and UCs

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello I am a Junior going to an okay (CA API 820) public high school in California. I want to apply to most of the UC schools with Cal being my top choice followed by UCLA, UCSD, UCSB and also take a shot at some of the Ivies (Brown, Cornell, Yale, Harvard) even though I doubt I'd get in. What are my chances? </p>

<p>I am a white male, but I am a first generation immigrant from an eastern-european (post-communist country) and am involved in my culture through ECs. (I won't name the country for privacy). Also dual-citizen.</p>

<p>Grades:
-GPA 3.9 Unweighted (two b's in an art class that screwed me over, also rising trend as this was freshmen year)
-GPA 4.5+ Weighted (APs and Honors)
-Class rank 4.5% in class of about 500
-ACT 33 Comp, 31 writing, 34 superscore
-SAT None yet but will take Chem and English
-AP (My school does not offer that many. They make you take the college prep class before the AP class and also only upperclassmen can take AP). Don't know grades yet.
Junior: Calc BC, Lang, Chem
Senior (tentative): Eng, Psych, Gov, Microecon, Stats, Spanish</p>

<p>ECs:
-Test by national organization and Columbia University for eastern-european (College Board does not have this) language: 99%
-School for eastern-european language 8 years, overseas high school level diploma from that country's ministry of education.
-Associated Student Body: ASB rep Sophomore and Junior, Attorney General Senior. I could possibly write about this because as Attorney General I am the student advocate and often will represent groups infront of the District.
-School Board Student Trustee: Junior and Senior
-Internship at san francisco law firm summer of sophomore-junior. Good letter, partner is Berkeley Law alumni.
-Part of Justice Academy at District Attorney's office.
-Internship at DA's or city office (to be placed) for junior-senior summer
-Weekly volunteer at local hospital ~100 hours: front desk junior year, pharmacy senior year.
-President/founder of Public Forum a political discussion club at my school.
-Member of Science Bowl Team (not so good, did not go past regionals)
-Member of debate team freshmen and sophomore year.
-Member of Foods Club
-Member of Math Club
-Member of Interact (service club)
-Member of Ignited Youth Club (religious)
-In local Youth in Government program for two years
-Boy Scout equivalent for "in-exile" wing of the eastern-european scouting org
-Member of Catholic Parish specifically in the eastern-european language, involved in church stuff.
-Member of sister-cities org for the eastern-european country.</p>

<p>Awards:
-Two CA State Seals of biliteracy in Spanish and easter-european language
-School script letter award for service
-School block letter award for academics
-Principal's honor role for ever
-President's award in middle school (probably in high school too, but not until graduation)</p>

<p>Recommendations:
English: Great, teacher was former editor-in-chief for overseas US army magazine
Sciences: None yet, but will be good-great
Superintendent of Schools (instead of counselor?): Good</p>

<p>Essays:
I have not written them yet but plan on doing (possibly). These are just ideas:
-How I started school in the US without english in first grade, how I went through culture shock and struggled, but how I adopted american culture and now succeed.
-How I represent various student groups infront of the District, and fight for student rights
-How I am also gay. I might play this up a bit as I am not involved in any activism stuff yet, but have been planning on starting a GSA for the past year. (Still haven't worked up the courage though, but might senior year).</p>

<p>I know that one thing that hurts me a lot is no sports/music. Chance away! and be harsh (eek).</p>

2

<p>With your GPA, test scores, citizenship (ie diversity) you can have a good shot at Ivies if you write well. Also, I’ve heard that many schools are seeking openly gay students and this can give you a bump in admissions. You should have no problem with the UC’s and the Ivies are not impossible. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>Don’t put the clubs that you’re only a “member” of… well you can if you actually do a lot for that club and are truly committed, but otherwise, it’d play a negative effect on you actually if you did that… UCs are good to go for you, but get that ACT score up a bit. SAT IIs are pointless if you have the ACT with writing I believe, but the SAT IIs might still help you… idk that much about it, but good luck dude!</p>

<p>btw chance me if you can too?
Thanks :D</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1309572-chance-me-early-upenn-2012-2013-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1309572-chance-me-early-upenn-2012-2013-a.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>shamelessbump</p>

5

<p>As PAGRok said, you’re into all the UC’s unless Cal for some stupid reason doesn’t accept you-- you have an impressive application! Also, definitely apply to the Ivies (although you’ll be my competition ugggh haha)</p>

6

<p>I think ivies will be tough. Follow this year’s results to see here you stand. The admit rates are now so low, being top 1% without a hook is becoming the rule.</p>

<p>UCs are proving shockingly hard to get into this year. Make sure to have a lower one as a safety.</p>

<p>Not sure why so many apply to only their state schools and ivies. You’d be a good candidate at many good privates not as competitive as the ivies.</p>

7

<p>My main reason is that UCs are top colleges, as in top 50 schools. If I am going to pay more for a private college I want it to be better than the UCs. This only leaves the ives a few others (Chicago, Duke, etc.). Is my logic flawed?</p>

<p>Also would being gay/having an essay about it be a hook? Similar to URM kind of? Lastly, I expect my class rank to go from the current 4.5% to 2-3% by the time I apply for colleges.</p>

8

<p>I do think the logic is flawed. If you fan get into Cal or LA, I’d agree that for the money they’d be hard to beat. But o one can count on getting in these days. The rest I think there are many, many schools that are better, especially now given the budget crisis. And if you qualify for need based aid, good privates could be cheaper.</p>

<p>Being gay might have been a tip (nothing like URM) 30 years ago, but not today.</p>